New vs used car out the door price

The out-the-door price of a new and a used car is built the same way: price, minus trade-in, plus doc fee, tax, and government fees. A few differences matter.

Differences on a new car

• Destination is added to the price and is not negotiable.
• Some states charge new-vehicle-only taxes, such as Oregon’s 0.5% privilege tax (see the Oregon calculator).
• Rebates are more common and may be applied before or after tax depending on the state.

Differences on a used car

• Some trade-in tax credits apply only to new cars. Ohio, for example, allows the credit only on a new vehicle from a new-car dealer (see the Ohio calculator).
• Some states tax a used car on the greater of the price or a book value.
• From a private seller there is no doc fee, but you still pay tax and title fees at the DMV.

Compare both

Use the New/Used switch in the out the door price calculator to see how the total changes in your state.

Estimates from official sources as of October 24, 2026; not legal or tax advice; confirm with your DMV.